Help with choosing monitor

[Speedyturtle]

I'm trying to decide between 2 monitors. One with Shadow Mask and the other with Flat Aperture Grille. I'm leaning more towards the Aperture Grille one but I'm kinda worried about the 2 lines that can be seen on the screen. Are the lines very distracting or are they unnoticeable? Also, is a 0.25-0.27 pitch for Aperture Grille any good?

 

[klah]

I used to have a Sony Trinitron monitor with those two thin wires running across and they are especially noticable with a white background, such as this site or word processing. I would suggest you go to a store where they have one of these set up and see how much it bugs you before purchasing it.

 

[Moishe]

I've got 3 trinitrons here on the desk in front of me. two 21 inchers and one 19 incher. The lines are visible if you look for em, but after 3+ years it's never bothered me and I've used these screens for every imaginable thing, programming, gaming, 3d art, office use, etc....
maybe it's just me, but before someone pointed them out, I never knew they were there. These trinitrons are really quality screens.

I would never buy a screen with .26 or higher.

 

[Deeko]

apeture grill = better. You will get used to the lines. You only see them if you are looking for them. .25 is good. .27 is not.

 

[KickItTwice]

I feel the 2 lines are a flaw. If you can except flaws in products that you purchase then you'll be fine with it. Flaws = not better. I'm running a shadow mask flat screen monitor and the colors are very vivid. I think the days that you had to get an aperture grille to get bright and vivid colors are behind us. The Shadow masked monitors have steadily improved over the years. I have a trinitron tube in a 17 inch kds on a second computer and though it's pretty good it can't hold a candle to the brightness and color I get out of my shadow mask. It goes against the conventional wisdom I've read many times at these forums, but thats my personal experience with monitors. I personally believe that the Sony monitors are all hype. Sony, Sony, Sony, Sony, brainwash. All Sony products are always superior, brainwash. 2 thin lines = flaw = not better. shimmering screen from aperture grille = not better. People put up with other problems with AG monitors like having to put them facing another direction. Do the vertical wires act like antenna and pick up distortion do to radio or magnetic interference. I believe that the AG monitors even Die earlier. I ordered a Samsung 1200 nf (21" AG monitor)and the screen would shake in every resolution but one, so I had to send it back. I had them replace it with the Hitachi 21" CM823F which is a flat screen shadow masked monitor and I've been very happy with it. Rock solid. Absolutely no flaw of any kind. I run it with brightness and contrast turned down a bit as it is so bright I don't need to turn contrast all the way up. Monitor preference is very subjective. I don't mean to insult anyone who prefers AG monitors. It's just my opinion.

 

[Kingofcomputer]

KickItTwice, I agree with you about Sony is hype.
However, I don't agree with you about AG's 2 lines is flaw. It needs the lines to hold the grille, this is a design issue, not really a flaw. AG mon users are ok with this design issue, so it's not a flaw.

 

[KickItTwice]

Maybe technically it wouldn't be considered a flaw. Or perhaps a flaw in the design. A design flaw? Design issue then. I wonder if some people think that since they have to put up with the two lines then it must be for a worthwhile purpose. The fact that you do have to overlook the 2 thin lines doesn't mean automatically that good things await you. When considering image quality, I consider the 2 thin lines to be part of the image. They really take away from the overall quality of image and there isn't anything so great about the rest of the picture that would justify having to put up with the design issue/flaw. I believe that when the AG monitors first came out they where the only flat screen solution and I do feel that the flat screens are the way to go, however you can get a flat screen monitor without having to put up with AG. Also like I said earlier the newer (invar) shadow masks have great color and brightness. I haven't seen the slot technology that phillips uses, so I can't comment on that. AG monitors aren't all that bad, it's just that there seems to be a blind (pun intended hehe, couldn't help it) trinitron brand loyalty that has out lived its usefullness. They are just not the rave anymore. If AG is someones preference then fine. I'd just like to point out to people that there are alternatives that I consider to be a better solution.